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Decisions, decisions

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War Hero

You are exactly seven weeks from commissioning and atop the 12ft wall as you hang ready to drop one hand slips and pop out goes your shoulder. There are two options for you: 1. Commission and spend the first few months at your battalion a biff before doing PCD. 2. Move to Lucknow Platoon and spend an extra couple of terms at RMAS.

ADC

You are exactly seven weeks from commissioning and atop the 12ft wall as you hang ready to drop one hand slips and pop out goes your shoulder. There are two options for you: 1. Commission and spend the first few months at your battalion a biff before doing PCD. 2. Move to Lucknow Platoon and spend an extra couple of terms at RMAS.

I would lay flat along the wall on my stomach and wait for someone to grab hold of my dangling arm. Once the dislocation had been reduced I would carry on, through the pain, to achieve my goal.
I would then have a word with the MO who would probably give me enough HC and pain meds to see me through. If the musculature become weakened and there were repeats then I'd ask for a petit plat.

War Hero

If you're being allowed to commission with your platoon then I imagine RMAS has decided you've nothing left to prove. If that's the case, my advice would be go to your unit; it's certainly a better way of learning the routine/admin side of things than the last few weeks at Sandhurst.

LE

Old-Salt

Spent time in Lucknow Platoon - very fcuking demoralising indeed. The APTC rehab instructors and physio were great but watching your mates commission whilst you are stuck at RMAS for an extra term - no thanks!

War Hero

My gut reaction is to fight to get to battalion, though as someone noted its not entirely my choice. The reason I ask is that someone brought out the point of first impressions. Do I really want mine to be as a semi biff?

Opinions? What would your reaction to a new subbie who arrived biffed?

LE

My gut reaction is to fight to get to battalion, though as someone noted its not entirely my choice. The reason I ask is that someone brought out the point of first impressions. Do I really want mine to be as a semi biff?

Opinions? What would your reaction to a new subbie who arrived biffed?

I think it would be sympathetic, providing the "biffing" was either the result of a service related incident or a respectable sporting injury. So cricket for The Infantry XI, bravo zulu but nude hang-gliding not so much...

LE

LE

From my navy-blue armchair, I think the most important thing is to get correct treatment for this shoulder. Bweing brave is all well and good, but if the injusry is not treated properly the situation may deteriorate to the point of invaliding, and then everything else will have been for nothing. It's not as if you are in the face of the enemy, when you have to bash on for the sake of the people around you.

LE

New lieutenants are always looked at as twits who can be barely trusted not to injure themselves so don't worry about first impressions. If anything your soon to be subordinantes and peers will be slightly impressed by you driving on despite the injury like a headstrong mule.

LE

My gut reaction is to fight to get to battalion, though as someone noted its not entirely my choice. The reason I ask is that someone brought out the point of first impressions. Do I really want mine to be as a semi biff?

Opinions? What would your reaction to a new subbie who arrived biffed?

I think it would be sympathetic, providing the "biffing" was either the result of a service related incident or a respectable sporting injury. So cricket for The Infantry XI, bravo zulu but nude hang-gliding not so much...

GCM

1. You're at the very entrance of a career. ie You're planning long term. Thus short-term considerations of immediate impressions are irrelevant. Considerations of seniority don't weigh much in the balance against the possibility of an MD.
2. Your medical knowledge and experience is at best limited, which quite possibly applies to the majority of posters here. So
3. Obtain guidance from your best source of medical opinion. This does not automatically exclude civilian specialist opinion.
4. Bear in mind that dislocations can be far more troublesome in the healing than complex fractures. You do not want a situation where, as a result of a premature return to the fray, you enter the in, out, in, out arena.
5. For my money, little of it as I have, the long term risk consequent upon short term considerations is far too great. You have your life ahead of you. Get the 'kin thing fixed properly without cutting any corners , and if that means Lucknow then so be it. Know that you will, when fully fit, have no difficulties at all in successful completion of Seniors and will be welcomed without the need of a biffchit at your unit.